Fascinating
by Fire The Canon
Summary: Lily has a crush on Black, but it's not the Black that Marlene thinks it is.
_**Written for the Months of the Year Competition (February - write about a relationship beginning. Prompts - (colour) violet, (genre) romance, (phrase) a breath of fresh air, (word) imagination**_

* * *

 **Fascinating**

"Lily. Earth to Lily. Mars to Lily."

Lily was snapped out of her daydream from a hand waving in her face.

Marlene.

They were in Potions and Lily had not paid attention to a single word Slughorn had droned on about for the last hour.

"What's got your thoughts in a frazzle?" Marlene asked as she scribbled the notes from the board into her book. Lily did the same, not really taking in anything.

"Oh, I… I don't know, really." She frowned, trying to remember what it was exactly she had been daydreaming about. She remembered she was flying on a broomstick; she was Gryffindor's Keeper. And her eyes kept darting to one particular person in the crowd, who happened to be in the –

"Oh." Marlene gave her a nudge in the ribs and winked. "A boy."

Lily blushed. "No," she said quickly.

Marlene winked again. "It's Potter, isn't it? You've finally realised he's not the total jerk he makes out to be." She nodded to where Potter and Black where skilfully constructing enchanted paper planes under the table.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, Marlene. I wouldn't touch Potter with a ten foot pole."

Marlene laughed. "Well, who is it, then? Black? Lupin? Longbottom?"

"It's nobody," Lily said pointedly. "I was just thinking about… well I was thinking about needing a breath of fresh air. It's awfully stuffy in here, isn't it?"

Marlene raised an eyebrow. The dungeons were the coolest place in the whole castle.

Lily flushed. "Er, maybe I can wait til the end." She shuffled her books on her desk and finally read over the instructions on the board.

Marlene watched in fascination. "You're a weird one today, Lily," she said. "Something's different. I think you're in love." She said it as a joke, but Lily turned a violet colour. Marlene gasped. "You are!"

Everybody in the room turned to look at the pair, and now Marlene was also purple. "Just… she's ready for the potion-making," she dismissed. "I was surprised is all." She shrugged, which seemed to satisfy Slughorn, for he continued his rambling.

"You need to tell me," Marlene hissed. "That's who you were daydreaming about. Now, be honest… is it Potter?"

Lily shook her head. "Come on," she said, you get the ingredients and I'll set up the cauldron."

"But –"

"Quick, I think Potter has plans to jinx the ones he doesn't take." She nodded to where the messy-haired boy was striding for the cupboard, wand in hand.

Marlene sighed. "This isn't over, Lily," she said. "I'll get it out of you."

…

 _You're the darkness to my light_

 _The bad to my good_

 _I like the way your hair curls_

 _It just looks so right_

"Well, thankfully you have no aspirations to be a poet." Marlene was peering over Lily's shoulder, causing her to jump. She grinned. "You may be bright, but that poem sucks."

Lily quickly stuffed the bit of parchment away in her bag, not saying a word.

"If you want," Marlene said, "I can help you format a better one. I've written a few poems in my life."

Lily flushed. "I'm right, thanks," she said.

"You're the darkness to my light," Marlene mused, frowning. "Hm, doesn't sound like Potter. Darkness to my… light. Oh, my!"

"What?" Lily asked.

"It's Black, isn't it?"

Lily looked around, so red she could have exploded. "W-what?" she stammered.

"It's Black. _Darkness to my light_. You know, his last name. Sirius _Black_. Then, _the bad to my good_. Well, he's a nuisance, I'll give him that. Though…." Marlene's frown deepened. "Yeah, I suppose he could have curls. Oh my Merlin, you like Sirius Black!"

"Marlene!" Lily hissed. She glanced over to where Sirius and his three friends were sitting in the Great Hall. Thankfully, they were too far away to hear, but it wouldn't stop a rumour from spreading from anyone who _did_ overhear.

"What? Sorry. I just… I really thought you and Potter would happen, you know." Marlene shrugged.

"Marlene, I don't like Sirius," Lily said.

"Yeah, yeah."

"No, I mean it. It's not him."

"Okay, so who is it."

"That… I can't say."

"Well, you can't give them that poem, regardless. It's awful."

"But –"

"No buts, Lily. I'll help you. I'll just… reword what you've written or something."

Lily sighed.

…

There was no going back now. Lily had sent it; she'd posted it this morning. It had probably already arrived.

She felt sick.

"You wanna study?" Marlene asked half-heartedly, holding up two textbooks. "We can now that we're sixth years. We can be in the library at all hours."

Lily shook her head, swallowing a large lump which had formed in her throat.

"Alright. You've probably aced this essay anyway, knowing you." Marlene climbed out of the portrait hole with Mary MacDonald in tow.

Lily was alone in the common room for just a brief second before thumping and loud voices interrupted her thoughts.

"Hey, Lils," James said brightly, coming over to her. "How you doin'?"

"Fine," Lily answered coldly. "I was doing better before you lot entered." She glared at Black, Lupin and Pettigrew behind James.

"What's got you in a tizz?" James asked. "Oh, let me guess," he stepped aside, "you can't see Black."

"What?" Lily asked, glaring at Sirius.

"You fancy him, don't you?" James asked. "I mean, of course, I'd like it to be me, but if you're gonna fancy anybody else, might as well be Sirius."

Lily glared between James and Sirius. "Shove off, I don't fancy either of you. Both of you could burn in a hole for all I care. Leave me alone."

"Wow, we are touchy today," James said.

"Yeah, you're still hot to me, Lils," Sirius responded, winking at her.

Lily scoffed.

"Call us when you won't set our pants on fire."

The four of them climbed out of the portrait hole as well.

Lily shook her head. Perhaps it was better that the school thought she fancied Sirius.

It was at least better than the truth.

…

"So, some bloke sent me this poem. Pathetic, really. Can't even say it to my face that they fancy me. Probably Lestrange; he's been eying me off for a while now."

"A poem, Bella?"

"Yeah, something about liking the way my hair curled or something. I tossed it. Me and poems? Ha!"

Marlene and Lily were passing through the dungeons on the way out of Potions when the conversation between Bellatrix Black and her younger sister, Narcissa, took place.

Lily tried to hurry along to avoid hearing anymore, as red as a beetroot. Marlene, however, had stopped, her jaw almost hitting the floor.

"Come on, Marlene," Lily encouraged. "You know I hate the dungeons."

"Lily, please don't tell me. Lily, when I said Black, I meant –"

"Let's go," Lily insisted, turning her back to her friend and taking large strides out of the dungeon.

"Oh, Lily, are you… I had no idea. Not that I have an issue with who you fancy. Well, I do, if it's _that_ Black. But, there's plenty of other girls out there, you know."

Lily didn't say anything, wishing to be back in the common room. Why did that have to happen? Of all the people that could have walked past them, it just had to be… it had to be _her._

They climbed through the portrait hole, and Lily went up to the dormitory to dispose of her bag and books. Of course, Marlene followed.

"Lily, talk to me!" she demanded. "That poem was for… for Bellatrix?"

Lily remained silent, plonking herself onto her bed.

"Oh, man, I just helped you write a poem to _Bellatrix!_ Lily, you do realise she's not quiet in her views about people like… like you, you know? She'd rather kill you than kiss you."

"I know that," Lily answered quietly. "Sometimes I just… you can't help how you feel about somebody."

"But… _her!_ Really?"

"Yes."

"And not Sirius? No, of course not. He's a bloke. Aww, man, I seriously thought you fancied Sirius. It made sense."

"I led you to believe that." Lily looked at her hands. "I just don't want it to get out."

"Merlin, my lips are sealed," Marlene promised. "Though, why'd you send her the poem, then?"

Lily looked up, her eyes glistening. "I just thought it might make some difference. To me, not to her. It might have made the feelings go away. I'm not stupid, Mar. I know she'd never like me in return. It drives me insane." She buried her face in her hands.

"There, there," Marlene soothed, coming to sit beside her friend and patting her back. "Remember that time I had a crush on Black? Sirius, I mean? In third year. That went away, didn't it? Now I'm back to thinking he's a prat."

"I've felt this way since I was in third year," Lily sobbed. "It's not going away."

Marlene patted her back again. "You'll be okay, Lils. Just think of all the horrible things she's done, and then you'll be over her in no time. It's only a matter of time before she kills somebody."

Sniffling and wiping her nose, Lily nodded. "Thanks," she said.

Marlene grinned. "It's just a long crush," she said. "You'll get over it."

…

Lily, of course, didn't get over it. In fact, now that Marlene knew, she talked about it more and more to her. She talked about the moment Bellatrix seemed to notice her, and how, maybe, she smiled at her. Marlene replied with how she'd bullied a poor first year Hufflepuff into tearing up her own Potions notes. Lily responded, claiming she was just misunderstood.

This went on for weeks, until one day, their conversation was no longer private.

Hiding behind a shelf in the library as the two Gryffindor whispered about Bellatrix Black, was Narcissa Black. Leaning in, she listened to every word the girls breathed, shocked.

Lily Evans, a _Mudblood_ , had a crush on her sister. Evans fancied Bellatrix. So many wrongs in that.

Leaving, she hurried back to the Slytherin common room, bursting through the door in a haze. She found Bellatrix at a table in the far corner, a quill in her hand, but nothing written on her page.

Turning to her breathless sister, Bellatrix frowned. "Cissy?" she asked.

"Be…Bella," Narcissa panted. "Evans… Mudblood… girl…."

Bellatrix raised an eyebrow. "What is it, Cissy?" she asked, irritated now. She had a Potions essay due in twelve hours.

Regaining some of her breath, Narcissa swallowed and started from the beginning. "That Evans girl – the one in fifth year – she's in love with you, Bella!"

"What are you talking about?" Bellatrix demanded.

"The Mudblood. The red-haired one. She sent you that poem. She has a crush on you."

"I don't know an Evans girl," Bellatrix said dismissively. "Anyway, if she's a Mudblood, let her have her imagination. No harm in that."

Narcissa gaped.

"I need to finish this, Cissy." Bellatrix indicated her blank parchment, and turned her back to her sister.

Narcissa shook her head. Did Bellatrix just dismiss the fact that a Mudblood had a crush on her? When she found out about that Hufflepuff boy a year ago, nobody saw him for a week (and he came back disoriented from the Forbidden Forest afterwards).

Perhaps she'd changed?

…

"Did you see that?" Lily whispered, staring after the older Slytherin as they made their way back from Potions.

"I did," Marlene said, disbelievingly.

"She said hello to me."

"And it wasn't like she wanted to murder you, either."

"Do you think she –"

"No."

"But –"

"She can't like you, Lily. She can't!"

"No, I meant do you think she knows?"

"… maybe."

"And she's going to get her revenge soon?"

"Possibly."

"You can't let me near her. I'll be killed."

…

Marlene had left five minutes ago, but Lily had just a few more paragraphs before she was done. This was her final chance to get an O in History of Magic, and regardless of how boring goblin rebellions were, she was determined.

She was just scratching the last sentence when suddenly her light in the library was disrupted. Sucking in a breath, she released it immediately when she saw who was standing over her.

It was _her._

Scrambling to gather all of her notes and parchment before they were burnt to pieces, Lily attempted to leave. But a firm hand prevented her from doing so.

"Stay, Evans," Bellatrix growled. Her eyes were as cold as they ever were. The only time Lily had ever seen them lively was when she spoke affectionately of the Dark Lord and his desire to rid the world of all _Mudbloods_ ; people like Lily.

Lily returned to her seat, swallowing.

Bellatrix looked down at her. "Is it true?" she demanded.

Lily was strong-minded, and rarely allowed somebody like Potter or Black to push her around; but they were harmless. Now she was in the presence of somebody who she had no doubt would actually kill her if she wanted to. It was different. She was afraid.

"Evans?" Bellatrix demanded.

"Y-yes," Lily stammered. "I'm sorry."

Bellatrix glowered. "Do you know how demeaning this is to my reputation?"

"Bellatrix, I – well, I can't help it."

"A Mudblood in love with me; a _girl_ at that."

"Sorry."

"Evans."

Lily looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. Bellatrix came close to her, determination set on her face.

 _This is it,_ Lily thought. She was going to be hurt.

And then suddenly, lips were being pressed onto hers, and they were surprisingly soft and gentle.

Bellatrix pulled away. Her expression remained stone cold. "If we meet in the library at this time every night, then nobody will ever know."

And she walked away, leaving a bewildered Lily in her wake.

What had just happened?

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 _ **This took me too long to write. This is what I get for randomly selecting a pairing, looking at it and then trying to work out how this could work. But, it's here!  
**_

 _ **Also, if you're interested, pretty please PM me with a list of pairings and prompts, and I will write you a story in a month between May and December. Info and layout is on my profile. I like writing gifts, so even if we've never spoken before, don't be afraid to send me a PM. I'm really nice, and I love writing stories for people!**_


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